Revolutionary.

A while ago in macroeconomics, we learned about Milton Friedman. Friedman was an economist from the Chicago School who eventually earned the Nobel Prize in Economics. Among many, many other things, Friedman made a name for himself from what he did in Chile in the early 1970s. Basically, the strictly government controlled economy was floundering with inflation going crazy, and Friedman claimed that a free market system would cure this completely. This isn't a history lesson, so long story short: Friedman and his "Chicago Boys" rebooted the economy as a free market and it worked. The Chilean economy (though initially causing a lot of hardships for the poorer classes,) was set back on track, and it can be argued that this free market system eventually led to the establishment of a democracy in 1990.



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Shift gears: Before I left for Thanksgiving, I was watching a show on the History Channel called "The Real Pirates of the Caribbean." It was a historical look at what life looked like for pirates in the Caribbean Sea when major sea profiteering first began. One of the first buccaneers they focused on was Henry Morgan. Morgan was of British descent, and joined the army of General Venables to take over the Spanish city of Santo Domingo in 1655. Venables' British army got their butts kicked by the Spanish, leaving the crippled and disheartened fleet without a contingency plan. Weeks away from any advice on what to do next, the army did something that I think is amazing - they attacked the island of Jamaica and conquered it for the British Crown. Although the commanders of the fleet were later thrown in the Tower of London for taking over such a "useless" island, I think their decision was an incredible one.



* * *

Shift gears again to me: Through elementary, middle, and high school, I had been conditioned to think in a certain way; I would be given directions, and I would follow them. That's it. I'm amazed at how many students in high school flunk courses when all they have to do is simply follow directions. I mean heck, half the time your answers don't even have to be right... you just have to follow the directions! Anyway, with few notable exceptions, that was how I was taught to think.



Now I find myself in college - "the place of ideas," as I've heard it called often. Upon beginning my education here, I started noticing a change in philosophy. At first, I thought it was on the professors' behalf. Now, however, I see that it has taken place with me. The difference is this: I am no longer learning things for grades. In high school, I honestly couldn't care less about a lot of the subjects I was in. There was the classic, "when are we ever gunna use this?" In math classes, and the grumbling that accompanied Shakespeare and Emily Dickinson in English. As I sit through my classes now, taking notes and completing homework assignments, I am looking at this knowledge with one major question: how can I use this?

How can I use what I'm learning about ancient Rome? How can I use an understanding of supply and demand? How can I use an in-depth look at the New Testament?

The possibilities this method of thought brings up are endless. No longer am I doing schoolwork because I have to get an A to keep up with Jen and Hans. Now, I'm doing it because I know that there's got to be some way - even the most insignificant of details - that can help me out.

* * *

Going back to what I said about Friedman and Morgan. Using this way of thinking, I've been taking a long hard look at a phrase that has been repeated to every child in America probably around 67 times a year. "You can do anything you want, as long as you set your mind to it!"

No way, right? We all know that's a load of waffle that we adult-folk tell the little chili-pies to inspire them, right? Look at Friedman - there was no manual concerning "101 Ways to Restart a Country's Economy." Look at Morgan and the army he served in - there was no "Plan B" given a humiliating defeat to the French. Yet Friedman did it, and so did the British army. Without anyone telling them how or where or when. They weren't following directions, they were making up their own as they went along.

People who changed the world in major ways did not know what they were doing, they only knew what they could do.

I don't know what I'm doing. Any one of you reading this could tell that of me. But I know what I can do.


-Daniel


P.S. I'm getting my phone today (I lost it over Thanksgiving break,) so if anyone who's reading this would like me to have their number, text me anytime after 5pm with your name. Or just call sometime and say hello.